Andrew stared at the ball of yellow plasma that manifested before his hand, along with everyone else. To their surprise, the plasma didn't hurt at all.
With an expansion of light, it forced everyone to close their eyes.
Damn it's bright! Andrew thought.
After the light settled, Andrew took a look at where the ball was. Instead, a luminous card had replaced it. The card had dark petals spiraling around it.
This is the gift? What's special about this card?
Suddenly the card zapped into his chest, shocking him. The same thing happened to everyone else.
Andrew immediately remembered the brain ache he had experienced, and prepared for the worst—fortunately, nothing happened to him.
"It went into my chest!" Paris panicked as if she was shot.
"Me too…" Serena muttered, a bit of fear in her voice.
Everyone else took the insertion okay, even Rashid, though, based on how much he was trembling, it appeared he would have fallen back at any moment.
Their worries soon faded when the cards didn't cause them any harm.
In the distance, a blue light shone. The dungeon door had opened up.
Parish's eyes widen upon seeing the door. Out of excitement, she yelled, "It's open!"
"Hell yeah!" Rashid celebrated.
"Finally…" Serena sighed.
The three run towards the door. Dalton was moving forward, but when he noticed that Andrew and Henry didn't even budge, he turned toward them.
"What are you guys waiting for?" he asked, a bit confused.
Henry didn't answer. His eyes were stuck on the horizon as if he was expecting more. After a couple of seconds passed, he sighed and walked forward with an annoyed expression.
Andrew on the other hand pondered for a second before asking, "That's all?"
His voice had a tint of disappointment.
Dalton was baffled by the question. "What do you mean?"
"We got teleported into a dungeon. It seemed like it was going to be dangerous, yet… there wasn't a single hint of danger." Andrew tightened his fist as he replied.
"Isn't that a good thing…? Why do you seem disappointed?"
Andrew was about to answer nearly immediately, but he processed Dalton's words.
'Isn't that a good thing'
Andrew took a look at the others. They were at the door, and happy they were safe.
Upon seeing that, he thought, If it was dangerous, they could have gotten harmed. So… I guess it is.
Andrew patted Dalton on the shoulder. With a light smile, he said, "Yeah. My bad. I wasn't thinking straight."
Andrew walked towards the door. Yet his words didn't convince Dalton.
"Just… what's going on in his head…?" Dalton muttered under his breath.
Andrew was about to enter the dungeon door but then turned back to see Dalton deep in thought, and far back.
Dalton noticed Andrew look, and cut off whatever he was thinking to run towards him.
Hm.
Andrew entered the door at the same time as Dalton. They both looked at each other with strange expressions; it wasn't a negative or positive one. It was more conflicted or uncertain.
With a flash of blue light, reality changed before them. Gravity disappeared and another force dragged their bodies across space and time. It didn't take more than five seconds for them to return back to Earth.
Dalton and Andrew were spat out of the Dungeon. The force nearly caused Andrew to fall, but using his hand he was able to prevent himself from hitting the ground.
That didn't hurt much; kind of surprising.
He gently straightened his posture and stared at his hand, looking at the dried and fresh blood of the slugs.
He then moved towards a broken glass on the ground to look at his reflection.
…
Amidst his blood and minor forehead wound, he saw something that surprised him.
His eyes. They felt… alive.
"Hah…" A laugh escaped from his mouth. He didn't understand why he felt 'alive' but he knew the cause of it; the dungeons. No, the new change in the world.
Yet, he couldn't help but think why it had that kind of reaction in him.
Dalton leaned against a flipped car. He rested his chin on his hand as he looked at all the crashed cars.
"How long do you think it's going to take for things to go back to normal?" Dalton asked Andrew.
"... No idea," he responded.
"I would hope it's by tomorrow… but that's probably unrealistic, so like in a week…"
"Right." Andrew kept looking into his eyes, barely paying attention to the current conversation.
"You don't seem to care that much."
Andrew sighed and looked at him. "What gives that idea? I am just taking things slowly, that's all, really."
Dalton looked him up and down. "I don't know… you just seem very different. I can't exactly piece it together. It almost seems like you don't have an issue with what's going on." he said, a bit distressed.
"Is that so? It must be some kind of misunderstanding."
Dalton looked unsure. "Yeah…"
Andrew then dragged his hand through one of the pockets in his leather pants. When he touched a small rectangular device, he smiled in relief.
His items were moved into the armor pockets. He took out his phone and checked the news.
He was curious to see the reports on this incident. The first thing he saw was an emergency broadcast. He raised the volume to listen to it.
"Attention, citizens! This is an emergency broadcast.
We are facing an unprecedented and potentially catastrophic incident that has occurred all over the world. Mysterious doors have appeared out of nowhere, seemingly from other worlds.
As of now, our understanding of these doors or so-called dungeons is limited, and we urge all citizens to exercise extreme caution. Here are some essential guidelines to follow:
- Stay Informed: Keep a communication device with you at all times, such as a smartphone or radio, tuned to emergency channels for updates and instructions from local authorities.
- Avoid Unfamiliar Doors: Do not approach or attempt to interact with any of these mysterious doors. They may pose a serious threat to your safety.
- Stay Indoors: If you are already inside a secure location, remain there until you receive further instructions. Lock all doors and windows.
- Emergency Kit: Ensure you have an emergency kit with essential supplies, including non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, flashlights, and extra batteries.
- Family and Loved Ones: Contact your family members and loved ones to confirm their safety and whereabouts. Establish a communication plan to stay in touch.
- Emergency Services: In case of injury or immediate danger, contact your local emergency services. Provide them with your location and as much information as possible about the incident.
- Be Vigilant: Keep an eye out for any unusual activity, and report it to local authorities immediately.
- Community Support: Help those in need if it is safe to do so. Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly and vulnerable.
Authorities and experts are working diligently to understand and resolve this situation. Please remain patient and stay tuned for further updates as this situation develops.
Remember, your safety is our top priority. We will continue to provide information and support as we navigate this unprecedented incident. Stay strong, stay together, and stay safe.
This message will repeat periodically. Stay tuned for additional updates."
They did this fast. Andrew wondered if this message was sent before the event began.
Andrew told Dalton, "Check the emergency broadcast. Your phone is in your pocket, or should be."
"Huh? Oh okay." he did exactly that.
After listening to it, he smiled. Tears of relief even flowed down his face.
He took in a deep breath. "Well, you heard it! It said to stay indoors. So I guess we should go to our homes, right?"
He looked at Andrew, hoping he would agree with him. After all, Andrew had been acting so differently. He was afraid that Andrew would say no.
Andrew nodded while looking at the dungeon door. "Yeah, for sure."